Metal wheel



M. LACHMAN.

METAL WHEEL.

APPLICATION men AUG-23, I9

1,380,218. Patented May 31,1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

gwuantoz M. LACHMAN.

METAL WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 11116.23 1919.

Patented May 31,1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE LACHMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.. ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA METAL WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 31, 1921.

T0 (57110710121 if may comm-n:

Be it known that I. )IAITRICE LACnnAN. a citizen of the l nited States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal \Vhcels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction and method of manufacturing metal wheels from sections or lengths of I beam, the web of which is suitably divided into spokes while the heads serve for portions of the structure such as the hub and the rim.

My invention consists essentially in constructing a metal wheel from a section or length of I beam by dividing the web and one of the heads to form separate spokes and employing the opposite head in the hub structure, the divided head being employed for attachment of the rim.

In carrying out my invention I may utilize forms of I beam similar in cross-section to the ordinary commercial shapes or may use specially rolled I beams having a cross-sectional figure modified to suit the purposes of my. invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a section of I beam suitable for use in carryingoutmy invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a length of the same sub-divided from one head inward at and through its web to a point near the opposite head to form the separate spokes.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional plan on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 showing the manner in which the flanges of the head utilized in the hub structure are divided to permit them to be readily bent to the required form.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of a wheel constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a similar vertical section through a wheel constructed for great lateral strength and formed by utilizing a pair of I beams.

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of a modified form of rolled I bar that may be used in carr ing out my invention.

1 indicates the web or body of an I beam and 2 2' the heads thereof. To prepare the same for constructing a wheel, a suitable length of beam adapted for embracing by one head the circumference of the hub structure. is taken and is divided from the edge 2, as indicated in the side elevation, to form separate spokes 3. The divisions of the head 2 thus made serve for attachment of the rim as will be presently described. The head 2 is'utilized in the hub structure of the wheel by bending the same around to the circinntcrcnce of the hub. \Vhen so utilizing it to form a box hub structure, the flanges ot the head at either side are cut out or divided inwardly from their edges, as indicated, into angular sections 5 and said flanges are then bent around as shown in Fig. 4 to form a hollow hub and are suitably secured to the flanges .6 of a hub barrel by means of bolts 7, or in any other suitable manner.

Any standard or other suitable form of hub barrel'may be employed.

A spacing piece or pieces 8 may be interposed between the ends of the bent down flanges if desired, and the spokes 3 may, if desired, although this is not necessary, be suitably fluted as indicated at 9 to give lateral-strength tothe spoke itself- \Vhenthehead 2 is bent around to the circumference of the hub the edges oi the sections of. the flange are caused to meet on the radial-lines 5 and the outer ends of the spokes with the divided portions of the opposite head intact therewith are spread out and caused to diverge into the circumference of the rim and form means for attachment of a separate rim of any desired shape. Said rim may be formed of two flanged circumferential plates 10 10 as indicated in the cross-sectional figure. these plates being applied sidewise to the ends of the spokes and suitably unitcd by welding or otherwise at 11. It would however be within my invention to apply a separate rim in any other manner, as for instance by using a single circumfercntial plate and overturning the edges to grasp the edges of the sections of head 2 0n the ends of the spoke. The rim 1O 10 and heads 2 may be secured to one another by welding, or by rivets or in anysuitable manner.

Obviously the head 2' may be wider or of differentwidth than the head 2 or may be of the same width. As shown it is of greater width in order to secure a proportionately greater depth radially of the box portion of the hub made by said head than would be otherwise obtained by using a lesser width of head 2'.

lVhere it is desired to form a very heavy truck wheel of great strength to resist lateral strains or torsional eitects, as for instance in the rear wheels of trucks, a pair of I bars may be employed, arranged side by side as shown in Fig. 6. This structure also serves to give a large width of tread for the wheel. In this instance the outer flange of the head 2 only is cut and bent down to form the sides of the box hub, while the inner flanges of the heads simply abut edge: to edge and are preferably cut off or made primarily of smaller dimension laterally than the outer flanges. The divided edges of both bars may have their flanges orarms of equal length as indicated, the inner flanges or arms abutting one another as indicated and being held in abutted relation by the flanges of the rim engaging the edges of the outer arms of the heads. Also, as will be obvious. the webs 1 of the bars may flare outwardly from the hub into a larger width of rim.

I have shown the invention as carried out by using a rolled I bar in which the web is of substantially uniform thickness but obviously, to secure increased strength at the junction of the spokes and hub, an I bar in which the web increases in thickness near the hub and as shown in 7 may be em plov edf l Vt hat I claim as my invention is:

1. A metal wheel having a continuous hub ortion and spokes integral therewith. said mb portion comprisin; one head of an I bar and said spokes being formed of the web and opposite head of the bar.

2. A metal wheel consisting of a section ot metal bar of I form in cross-section, one head and the web being divided to form spokes and the other head bent to the circu'mt'erence of the hub to form the hub structure. I

3. A metal wheel consisting of a section or length of I bar divided through one head and a portion of the web to form separate spokes, the remaining head being retained integral at its junction with the spokes and i ture a length of I bar having a flange of one head bent down to form a side of the hub box and having its web and opposite head sub divided to form spokes. the heads of which spokes consistof sections of the I bar head combined with a metal rim attached to the head of said spokes.

6. The method of constructing metal wheels from an I bar, consisting in dividing the head and web of said bar to form separate spokes and bending the opposite head into the circumference of the hub to cause the spoke members to diverge outwardly into the circumference of the rim 7. The method of constructing metal wheels from an I bar, consisting in dividing said bar through one head and a portion of the web to form separate spokes, turning down an arm of the opposite head to form a side of the hub and bending the latter portion of the I bar into the circumference of the hub.

8. The method of constructing metal wheels from sections or lengths of I bar, consisting in sub-dividing said bar throi'igh one head and the web to form separate spokes, dividing the flanges of the opposite head inwardly from their edges and turning them down to form the sides of the, hub box. bending the latter porti'on of the I beam to form the hub and causing the Web and the portions of the oppositehead alt-tabbed thereto to diverge into the 'ci'rcun'iference of the rim.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 21st day of August A. D. 1919.

MAURICE LACHMAN.

Witnesses F. B. TowNsEND, IRENE LEFKcwirz. 

